Category Archives: Written Work

Squeezing

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I have come to discover that writing in any form is a struggle. Yes, I know – all the writers and creative types I know just collectively said “duh”. I get it, but sometimes saying it (or typing it) helps with the reality of making a change.

I am a writer that runs on inspiration. Long haul work is extremely difficult doing that, and finishing something the size and scope of a novel is exactly that – a long haul. I suck at that.

I’ve been chipping away at the edges of writing for many years, but what I have been doing is clearly not working, nor is it getting me the result I desire. I need to finish more, but in order to finish more I need to actually create more. I can’t sit and wait for inspiration or the ever elusive (thought to be mythical) ‘free time’.

So – I’m going to be squeezing things in. Maybe the edits won’t be great. There will be grammar and spelling issues. I can’t edit if it’s not created. The secret story in my head will never go anywhere without trying to record it in some form.

There you go – I squoze it myself.

Failure – sort of

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As a writer one comes to understand that the words laid out may, or may not, find a home. Sometimes the moment of inspiration that hits amuses or delights you but fails to connect with anyone else. It happens. Keep writing, keep putting words together and hoping to not just turn them into salad.

Some time ago I saw a call for submissions to a ‘course catalog’ for a horror based university. As stated above, it amused me and I had sudden inspiration. My submission was rejected (without any real notice) and that’s just fine.

I was bumping around that aforementioned debris pile that is my notes on writing and found that submission. It’s never going to be publishable anywhere else – so I’ll drop it out for you here. Hopefully you’ll find them amusing too.

From the course catalog:

Established in 1613 by academic and occult pioneer, as well as failed vintner, Fenrick Oglebutt, through trans-chronological fallacies and a lust for knowledge, Nafallen University has become one of the foremost centers of learning on all matters from the mundane to the mythic.

Located in beautifully desiccated Crisp, Texas, Nafallen University is dedicated to bringing its students the best in education, career opportunities, and fulfilling student lives from any university in current existence.

Nafallen University offers a hands-on and practical approach to education, with in-person, virtual, and astral courses offered at all levels of degree tracks.

Within this tome, enterprising students who wish to expand their minds and power will find courses offered for the current semester. Course descriptions are provided by the professors themselves, ensuring an honest appraisal of the material.

Here are the courses I submitted. I think they would have been a fine addition.

School of Architecture

ARC 212 – MASONRY II

PREREQUISITE: Poe; Amontillado

Gain additional skills and practical knowledge of masonry wall systems. Active interpretations of heat applied flashing, mortar selection and weep vent installation. Gain knowledge of residential construction inspection timing, effects of climate on drying time and STC (sound transmission classification).

Purchase of additional materials may be required.

ARC 135 – ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND GRAPHICS

Explore the fundamental issues of spaces, perception of spaces, scale and habitation. Emphasis is placed on ordering principles, pattern recognition and figure ground relationships. Build on graphical representation with an emphasis on observational symbology, aesthetic color choices and drawing presentation.

STR 301 – ADVANCED STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS: ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN

Prerequisite: Euclidean Geometry, Plasticity

Combine classical thermodynamics with plasticity and high yield functions. Allow the numbers to flow and discover numerical dissipation and pliability factors. Blocking, buckling, transient and steady state response combined with temperature creep. Emphasis on temporal stability and consistency. Galerkin meshfree imposition of boundaries and domain limits explored. Calculate how much your structure may flex under varied circumstances.

Working

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Writing is work. Writing has its own momentum, and its own weight. Sometimes that weight doesn’t get carried along when other things get too heavy.

As part of what seems to be the cycle here, I’ve been away doing all the things and my writing has languished. There are a series of things I have planned to write, and all the notes are laying about on my desk, scattered like fallen leaves. I’m hoping to rake them up and turn them into a pile of something, but even my rudimentary knowledge of plants understand that means mulch…

So, back to work. Hoping for more posts, but depending on that ever elusive ‘free time’ that never seems to be actually free, nor arriving in great quantities.

Is this that stupid ‘supply chain’ thing everyone goes on and on about?

Flash Prompt – The Light

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artist: Sandara Tang - https://www.artstation.com/sandara
Artist: Sandara Tang – https://www.artstation.com/sandara

Was there danger? Of course there was danger. There was always danger, but the sins of my past made it worth the risk. I climbed. I reached. I was dizzy with the pheromones of death floating around me. I had tunnel vision. I could see the light. I moved toward the light. I reached for the light. The light so bright. The light so beautiful. Sinking forever into the dazzling light.

The scorching, raging pain of burning myself reaching for that beauty. I fell. I am scarred.

I will reach again.

Flash Prompt – Queen of Chains

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artist: Lorenzo Mastroianni – https://www.artstation.com/lorenzomastroianni

My children we must persist. Our road is long, our way winding and difficult. No matter the cost, we will pay.

The Circle may stand against us. The Weavers seek to undo our works. We will break his chains despite our opposition. The world will shake and sunder. We are the coming of the truth.

We shall not bend. We shall not yield. The cursed ground shall not hold us. Death will not stop us. We are bound to free him. We are bound to save him. His chains become our weight, and we shall bear it.

Carry the light of the secret moon with you. The Crimson Crescent shall win out. The Chained God shall be free, and with him, so shall we all.

Philcon 2021 – Part 1

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A smaller ‘haul’ than some years…

The weekend before Thanksgiving 2021 I headed out and did something I’d done dozens of times before, but not at all since the pandemic. I went and attended a science fiction convention in person. I was excited to see the convention was actually going to happen. I understood the rules going in… prove that you had your vaccination AND wear your mask properly the entire time you’re attending. It’s a private event, you know the rules. I was also excited to see those rules in place. It was wonderful feeling to be headed out again.

The con itself was… small. I suppose this was an expected thing given the pandemic and the number of people that don’t want to deal with the chance of catching something. The sense I got was of a con that was even smaller than that. Small enough that I fear for the future. It was also a very gray convention. I know that I am a contributing factor to this, but it just felt… old. There are other cons out there that are making an effort to keep up with the times. Panels are changing, recordings are being made and an online presence is being maintained. I don’t know what it would have taken to have a multi-platform con, but that really felt like it could have been attainable this year with such a small gathering – and it wasn’t. There were the motions of ‘the way it was’ but somehow it felt hollow.

The hotel felt empty, old and more than a little shabby. Peeling wall coverings, worn furniture, foggy windows and wheezing air handlers. Nobody cleaned my room while I was there. The door lock access card needed to be reset 3 times despite all my efforts to keep the magnetic key far from anything else on my person. The door didn’t close properly, and required attention more than once. The bar was closed early and the ability to just… gather and chat felt far more limited than it should have. The place felt as old as the con.

All of this could have added up to a miserable experience. It didn’t. A number of friends gathered and got to spend time talking about, showing off and selling various aspects of the things we all love. Yes, the dealer room was still there and so was the art show. There was live music. The folks that attended made the con special. I still had the opportunity to chat with amazing creators. I got to chat with the music guest of honor about butterflies painted on overalls. I got to talk art show set up with an artist that only recently moved to the area. I went to dinner with friends, laughed and generally had a fantastic time.

The dealers room was less full this year. Some folks couldn’t be there. Some folks retired or simply went out of business during the pandemic. I was grateful to see those that were there. I met some fantastic creators and did my level best to support them (yes, I blew out the budget). I suggest you head out and support these creators too. I picked up an eye, you should check them out you might like what you see. I also grabbed a 3d art piece as a gift, along with a very geek oriented gift for somebody this year. One of my favorite conversations was with the guys running Questbourne. A place that does more than just sell you an *.stl file and hopes you can print it. I plan to be picking up more from them in the very near future.

One of my favorite parts was seeing the premier issue of a new magazine from Fortress Publishing. Mendie The Post Apocalyptic Flower Scout issue one was on the table and ready to get out there. My story “Peach Pirates” is in this issue, along with some small humor bits tucked in other places. It’s a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to seeing more issues. You should definitely check it out!

Flower Scouts!
Issue #1 out now!

The convention and the hotel had a lot of issues that could have made for a weekend worthy of complaint. It was the opposite. The staff – both convention and hotel – seemed to have everything in hand and things ran quite smoothly. Any time there was a line, it moved quickly. Nobody seemed to have unresolved issues, and that’s probably far better than many would expect for a return to a live convention. People were friendly. People were interested in the panels. There was laughter and fun and a generally good time. I had a great weekend and I’m already looking forward to next year.

Part 2 – The Panels – coming soon!

Off Course

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I’ve been getting a number of rejections on my written work lately – and that’s to be expected as part of the publishing industry. Any number of those things I mark on a list and work out where else they can be submitted.

Sometimes there just isn’t a good fit. The thing I created is tailor made for one specific time or place and just won’t become something else. An open call for creators to make course catalog entries was one such instance.

Imagine a university opening to become another or alternate version of the infamous Miskatonic University located someplace other than Arkham. What would the course selection look like for a place like that? This was the assignment. Here are the entries I submitted for “Advanced Cthulhu Studies” at this university:

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

ARC 135: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND GRAPHICS

Explore the fundamental issues of spaces, perception of spaces, scale and habitation. Emphasis is placed on ordering principles, pattern recognition and figure ground relationships. Build on graphical representation with an emphasis on observational symbology, aesthetic color choices and drawing presentation.

ARC 212: MASONRY II

PREREQUISITE: Poe; Amontillado

Gain additional skills and practical knowledge of masonry wall systems. Active interpretations of heat applied flashing, mortar selection and weep vent installation. Gain knowledge of residential construction inspection timing, effects of climate on drying time and STC (sound transmission classification).

Purchase of additional materials (casks) may be required.

STR 301: ADVANCED STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS: ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN

Prerequisite: Euclidean Geometry, Plasticity

Combine classical thermodynamics with plasticity and high yield functions. Allow the numbers to flow and discover numerical dissipation and pliability factors. Blocking, buckling, transient and steady state response combined with thermal creep. Emphasis on temporal stability and consistency. Galerkin meshfree imposition of boundaries and domain limits explored. Calculate how much your structure may flex under varied circumstances.

What sort of courses would you create? Who would you expect to see in class?

Flash Prompt – Flying Castle

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Artist
Jamie Diaz Alvarez https://www.instagram.com/_1000___words_/?fbclid=IwAR3imt72R0i9VpWeJdbYho73R0l7rkf7cGYh6FOe6D5M_5OBHmrSQY3cwEQ

We have seen what the traction league has come to. We watched the battle for survival and the losses suffered by those who chose to simply fortify the mountain in place. We have combined the great engines and the mountain. We shall be safe in our fortress. We shall rule the sky.